You’ve decided the Amara® is the longarm quilting machine of your dreams — but how much space will you really need for it?
This guide will help you work out which Amara model and frame or table combination will best fit the space you have available. Maybe you already have a dedicated area set aside at home, so you know exactly how much room you’ve got to work with. Or perhaps you’ve got your heart set on a particular machine — this will help you figure out how much space you’ll need for your dream set-up. Then you can get started rearranging rooms and planning your perfect quilting space.
The Amara Family of Machines
There are three fantastic machines in the Amara range — which one suits you best?
Amara® ST — A stationary longarm, perfect for quilters who prefer moving the fabric under the needle. It’s ideal if you’re really short on space. It has 20 inches of throat space and built-in stitch regulation.
Amara® 20 — A movable, frame-mounted machine with a 20-inch throat. It comes with everything you need to get quilting straight away.
Amara® 24 — offers the same easy-to-learn, fun experience as the Amara 20, but with a spacious 24-inch throat so you can finish your quilts faster and enjoy an even smoother stitch.
Frames and Tables
There are three frames compatible with the Amara moveable machines. The Amara 20 works with both the Little Foot Frame and the Studio3 Frame, while the Amara 24 is paired with the Gallery2 Frame.
For the Amara ST, comes with the automatic electric Lift Table. I’ll go into all the details below as we explore each machine. Let’s start big and go from there!
AMARA 24
How Much Space Do You Need for the Amara 24?
Amara 24 by Handi Quilter
The Amara 24 from Handi Quilter is perfect for everything from baby quilts to king-size masterpieces — it’s the biggest machine in the Amara family and a great match for your quilting style. It comes with everything you need for free-motion quilting straight out of the box, including a powerful stand-alone bobbin winder.
The Amara 24 is compatible with the Gallery2 Frame, which comes standard at 12-foot. With the addition of the optional 2-foot extension you can build the frame as a 10-foot or 14-foot frame.
Made from high-quality steel, the HQ Gallery2 Frame is a sturdy, professional-grade frame system, ideal for home or professional studios. It features pole cradles for easy loading and smoothing of quilt batting, plus height-adjustable legs with self-levelling feet to suit a range of floor surfaces.
The Gallery2 Frame also includes the QuiltMaster™ DuoLoad™ loading system, giving you two ways to load your quilt: Standard Loading or ClearView Loading™.
Standard Loading
Gives you a clear visual guide to your actual quilting space and makes it easy to access the bobbin area for oiling or changing bobbins.
ClearView Loading™
A popular choice for ruler work, this option clears the way for longer or larger rulers and templates, giving you greater flexibility and precision.
Diagrams
These diagrams show exactly how much space you’ll need. The white area indicates the actual frame footprint, while the grey area shows the extra room you’ll want around the frame so you can move freely as you quilt.
Note: You can place one short end of the frame against a wall to save space. This will reduce the overall width needed, as shown in the 14-foot diagram.
AMARA 20
How Much Space Does the Amara 20 Need?
Experience quality, precision and endless quilting possibilities with the Amara 20 — the perfect match for your quilting style. It comes with everything you need for free-motion quilting straight out of the box, including a powerful stand-alone bobbin winder.
The Amara 20 is compatible with both the Little Foot Frame and the Studio3 Frame. With the Studio3, it comes standard at 12-foot, or with the optional 2-foot extension you can build a 10-foot frame.
Option 1: Amara 20 — How Much Space Do You Need for an Amara 20 on a Little Foot Frame?
The 5-foot Little Foot Frame is the perfect solution for quilters who want to use a moveable machine but don’t have the room for a full-size longarm frame. The HQ Little Foot Frame is a fantastic choice for quilting in a smaller space — its total length is just 5 feet, making it easy to fit into the tightest studios. The frame provides a quilting area of 14” × 48”.
Its clever design can handle quilts of any size on this free-standing frame and it’s height adjustable from 33” to 44”. Easy to assemble, this professional-grade frame is made from high-quality steel, with levelling feet to suit different floor surfaces.
Simply lay your basted quilt sandwich over the frame and secure it with the included clamp system: 6 Easy-Grasp Clamps, 1 Super Clamp and 6 Hold-Tight Clamps.
For quilts up to 48 inches wide, you can also use the included Little Buddy attachment. The Little Buddy uses special brackets and poles so you can load your quilt without basting and roll and advance it as you go — perfect for quilting smaller quilts on your space-saving Little Foot Frame.
Diagram
This diagram shows just how little room you’ll need. The white area indicates the actual 4-foot by 5-foot frame footprint, while the grey area shows the extra room you’ll want to move around the frame as you quilt.
Option 2: Amara 20 — How Much Space Do You Need for an Amara 20 on a Studio3 Frame?
Studio 3 frame
The updated Studio3 Frame is stronger, easier to use, and packed with features that quilters love — including the QuiltMaster™ DuoLoad™ loading system, which lets you choose between two loading styles.
Standard Loading
Gives you a clear visual guide to your actual quilting space and makes it easy to reach the bobbin area for oiling and changing bobbins.ClearView Loading™
A popular choice for ruler work, this option gives you more clearance for using longer or larger rulers and templates.
It also includes built-in adjustable Bungee Grabbers for easy quilt top management and is ready to work with a range of accessories straight out of the box.
These diagrams show exactly how much space you’ll need. The white area shows the actual frame footprint, while the grey area indicates the extra room you’ll need to move around the frame as you quilt.
Note: You can place one short end of the frame against a wall to save space. This can reduce the overall width needed by about 1.5 feet.
AMARA ST
How Much Space Does the Amara ST Need?
The Amara ST is ideal for quilters with limited studio space or anyone who prefers to move the fabric under the needle. No more struggling to squeeze bulky quilts through your home sewing machine — enjoy the freedom of 20 inches of quilting space and beautiful, consistent stitches thanks to the built-in stitch regulation.
Experience quality, precision and endless quilting possibilities in a stationary quilting set-up. From baby quilts to king-size, the Handi Quilter Amara ST is the perfect fit for your quilting style. This 20-inch longarm machine comes with the automatic Lift Table. It has everything you need for free-motion quilting straight out of the box — including a powerful stand-alone bobbin winder.
Amara ST — How Much Space Do You Need for an Amara ST with a Lift Table?
The Amara ST pairs perfectly with the Lift Table. This clever quilting table has a smooth, one-piece top and built-in InSight stitch regulation. The Lift Table also features easy button-touch height adjustment with four programmable buttons to store your favourite settings — switch from standing to sitting at the touch of a button and adjust the table to the height that suits you best.
The table measures 38 inches by 38 inches, and the only extra space you’ll need is room for your chair.
Diagrams
As shown in the diagrams, the white area indicates the table footprint and the grey area shows the space you’ll need for your chair. The second diagram shows the addition of side extensions — more on those below.
Optional Table Extensions
Add an extra 18 inches of width to your Lift Table with the HQ Table Side Extension. These extensions are easy to install — they pop up when you need them and fold down neatly for storage.
If you’ve ever done stationary machine quilting, you’ll know how important it is to keep your quilt supported by the table to reduce drag. When you’re quilting larger quilts, table extensions make a big difference by giving you more room to work. Get two and add one to each side for an extra 36 inches of workspace.
Fun Facts
Good to Know: Adding Pro-Stitcher to any of our moveable machines won’t change how much space you need — it’ll just boost your quilting fun and help you finish quilts faster!
Tight on Space? If you’re short on room but have your heart set on a specific machine, chat to your local Handi Quilter Australia retailer (you can find your nearest one HERE) or speak with our friendly Customer Relations team on (02) 4337 3737. We have plenty of clever ideas to help make your longarm dream a reality in a small studio.
Handy Tip: All Handi Quilter frames and tables have optional casters, making it easy to move your longarm around. If your studio is a multi-use space, adding casters means you can roll your machine out of the way when needed.
Still have questions? We’re here to help!
Visit your local retailer — if you’re not sure who that is, you can find one HERE.
Give us a call — our Customer Relations team is ready to help: (02) 4337 3737.
Send us an email: info@handiquilter.com.au
What’s Next?
Now that you know how much space you’ll need, why not take an Amara for a test drive? Pop in to your local Handi Quilter Australia retailer to see it in action.
To learn more about the full Amara family, visit the Handi Quilter Australia website HERE and click on the Machines tab to explore all our longarms.
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